RAF Chivenor campaigners take fight to 10 Downing Street (From Western Telegraph)

RAF Chivenor campaigners take fight to 10 Downing Street

12:10pm Saturday 13th March 2010 in

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Campaigners fighting to keep RAF Chivenor’s search and rescue service a 24 hour operation have taken their fight to 10 Downing Street.

More than 18,000 people from across Wales and the south west have pledged their support for the fight against cuts at the Devon base, and a collection of petitions was handed in at the Prime Minister’s residence last week.

Plans to reduce helicopter cover to 12 hours have met strong opposition. A Facebook group set up in support of the campaign has now attracted more than 11,000 members, including a large number of Pembrokeshire people.

Campaigners Bob and Judith Thompson and north Devon MP Nick Harvey presented the petitions at Downing Street.

Judith said: “We have seen a massive level of support. We need to keep the pressure on and keep raising awareness about the situation.

“We are absolutely continuing our campaign.”

Judith added: “There are sure to be more incidents involving the helicopter as the daylight hours increase, and we will be logging them to use as examples.”

The Ministry of Defence is planning to cut cover at RAF Chivenor from 24 hours to 12 hours, from 2012, downgrading it to daytime cover only.

The MoD has defended the proposals, stating a new fleet of faster rescue helicopters will continue to provide effective coverage for all night-time incidents.

Future night time cover in Pembrokeshire and the west will be provided by RAF Valley, Anglesey, or Culdrose in Cornwall, but objectors say the extra distance involved could put lives at risk.